Training for sailboats/yachts
Andy wrote:
Wayne.B wrote:
In my humble opinion you are not qualified to take out a 37 footer on
your own after 15 hours of instruction unless you already know quite a
bit about boating in general, and navigation in particular. They may
run a fine program, but believe me when I say that it takes more
experience then that to go out safely.
I agree that 15 hours of instruction, alone, is not enough to make you
ready to take out a 37 foot boat safely, but I think that if you
combine those 15 hours of instruction with about 40 to 80 hours of
study with the right books it could be adequate.
My wife and I bought a 36 footer and cruised from San Diego to Panama
City and back after about 24 hours of instruction, a few day sails
around San Diego Bay, and copious amounts of reading about cruising,
navigation, anchoring, etc.
I honestly don't think we were substantially safer boat operators after
7,000 miles and one year of living on board than we were when we first
left San Diego. The keys to safety at sea are knowing to stay put when
bad weather is forecast, keeping a good lookout, knowing how to read a
chart and plot a GPS position on it (and knowing not to trust GPS
positions plotted on charts of Mexican waters), basic understanding of
the boat's systems, knowing to reef when things get wild, and knowing
the basic principles of anchoring. None of these things take a lot of
practice or experience and they can all be learned from the right
books.
There is only thing that I think you really need to have a lot of
practice at to do safely with a sailboat, and that is maneauver into a
slip. After a year of cruising and living at anchor my wife and I
still sucked at it because we avoided marinas and never got any
practice.
Andy
You are very lucky.
Gaz
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